Smitten
by de aequitate
Summary: It wasn’t that James Norrington was smitten with her, maybe infatuated by her, but smitten of course not! Despite what his crew wanted to believe, James Norrington does not sulk, much less over a pirate woman. So she had escape, so what!


Disclaimer: I hold no ownership to any of the characters borrow from POTC, I assure no money will ever be made from this piece or any of the piece I dare to show the world because they all just suck!

Author's Notes: I do apologize to anyone who stumble upon this piece of my for you will surely will be met with a whole world of grammar mistakes. But please do not be discourage to read this little writing. Please enjoy this Norrington following in _love_ with an unlikely POTC character that I neglect to mention until the end (end meaning my Author's Notes).

Smitten  
De Aequitate

It wasn't that James Norrington was smitten with her, maybe infatuated by her, but smitten of course not! She was just different that's all, a different species of woman maybe, which seems like a plausible reason for his sudden interest in her. His crew wasn't so sure of his reasoning, but he was in charge so whatever he said goes. So he took up the tasked in studying her, which really wasn't supposed to be the tasked at hand. She was his prisoner.

She was anything but graceful, refined, dignify, and far from being lady-like. He came to this conclusion from simply observing her eating. His constant stare unnerved her, but she took little notice of it once realizing that her stomach was growling. His meal of course remain untouched, he was too in awed of her eating habit. Because well, James Norrington has never in his life witness a woman to attack a piece of chicken leg with such passion, if he could call it that.

He was so enthralled in her eating that he failed to notice the flying object aimed at his head.

"Would you stop that already?" She shouted at him.

James was still in shock to even register what she was saying, the only thought that course through his mind was, "How dare her, I'm—I'm James Norrington!" And of course he knew she knew who he was, but honestly he was James Norrington. One does not go around throwing things at his head.

She stared defiantly at him. "It's rude you know to stare, and you called yourself a gentleman," she crossed her arms in defiance.

Was she mocking him? The audacity this woman has knew no boundary. But all James really could do was wiped his mouth, throw down the napkin, and storm out of her room. "Don't you dare let her out!" He shouted at the guard making sure she heard as well.

He wasn't exactly sure what force compel him storm into her room (doubling also as her prison cell if anyone dare to ask) but he just had to tell her. "Would you please do as I say this one time," he was resorting to begging and James Norrington secretly believes that this woman was a witch in disguise. She was his prisoner for god sake, he shouldn't have to beg. He wonders what he might have to resort to if this doesn't work.

She slowly walk towards him, she seems earnest enough, which leads him to believe that she'll actually listen to him this one time. She stopped barely an inch away, but as soon as his hope begins to rise she crushed them between her not so delicate hands, "No."

"But you smell," she shrugged at his complaint, "One simple bath is all I ask, even the crew smells better than you. They're starting to complain of your stench." It was just him.

She gave him a funny look. "I think it's just you Commodore," she said as she pushed him out of her room then slamming the door shut in his face. No matter how loud he banged the door, kick at it she refused to let him in and this was his ship for God sake. He should have more control of what goes on in his ship, but he didn't. She somehow manages to win over the crew something he has yet to accomplish in all his years of commanding the Dauntless.

After many fruitless attempts, her door finally swung open. "Please Commodore, I am trying to rest," and for the second time today, she slam the door shut in his face.

She definitely was a witch in disguise.

However he eventually did manage to bribe her in to taking one. He was still wondering why he couldn't just force her; after all she was still his prisoner. But the important part was that he was able to continue his observation. He secretly thinks that she missed him somewhat.

Okay, so maybe his infatuation with her has grown into a full blown obsession. It's not that he was head over heels in love with her or anything of that sort; she was just fascinating to watch. She's not his type anyway. For one thing she was far too vulgar for his taste and completely out of touch with upper society standards. She was the embodiment of the type of woman he wanted to avoid. His logic didn't quite make sense to his crew; action speaks louder than words as it appeared.

Despite what his crew wanted to believe, James Norrington does not sulk, much less over a pirate woman. So she had escape, so what! She was just one less distraction that James had to worry about, not that he was worried about her. He had yet to explain to his crew why all of sudden their task was to find one sneaky pirate woman when there was many other important matter at hand. The king could wait a bit.

It wasn't like he was planning on stopping at Tortuga, but the thought of catching her there gave him a glimmer of hope to recapture what was rightfully his. What she stole, he was still unsure of. But still, how dare she steal something from him, it didn't matter what she stole; it was a matter of principle. She should have at least given him a heads up or something before leaving. As fate should have it, she was nowhere in sight. He however did manage to capture Sparrow long enough to figure out where the wretched woman was handing. His crew had the insane notion that he, Commodore James Norrington of the British Navy, would willingly release a known criminal just to find one elusive pirate woman. What they don't know won't hurt them will it?

Of all places that she could be, James had not expected to find her at Port Royal much less in a dress. James had to admit that she looked quite lovely in a dress, but knowing the type of person she is, she's probably up to some troubling scheme. Most likely involving him rescuing her and he wasn't opposed to the idea much to his dismay. Now it was just the matter of him gathering up enough courage to confront her and face the possibilities that she might be onto him. Luckily before he had the chance to approach her, she spotted him standing by the post. The look however on her face can leave any man with a foul taste in his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" She marched towards him. Her face was surely not red from the sun. "Are you following me?"

"Well, I umm…" James didn't understand why she of all people could leave him rambling like a schoolboy caught stealing. "Give it back," he blurted out.

Her anger was replaced with confusion, "What are you talking of, I didn't steal anything from you." Hands on her hip, she waited for him to give her an answer and of course he couldn't find one.

"Yes you did, I just have to figure out what it is. I know you took something from me," and of course James knew he was being childish, but she did took something from him and that was just unacceptable in his book.

"I believe you've been out at sea far too long." And there was that smile that got to him every time.

As she turn to walk away, James pulled her back to him, "What are you doing in that thing?" He couldn't help but notice also the scent of rose. So maybe he did held her for too long and people were beginning to stare, but James didn't care. He secretly missed her. Who wouldn't miss a woman like her? If anyone asks, he was just here to retrieve his belonging and made sure this dangerous pirate be locked and contain.

"Made a deal with someone," she winked pulling out of his arm.

"Deal, what deal?" He followed her like a lost puppy. "Did you get trick into it?" Of course she wasn't the type of woman to easily fall for a scam, well maybe except for Sparrow. Honestly how does one lose a boat?

She gave him a strange look before continuing, "Promise me a ship of mine own if I married him, going to be a merchant wife. Said he needed someone who can rough it out at sea, I said I was perfect for it as long as I get ship in return."

Married, James couldn't fathom the idea that this woman would so carelessly married another bloke without considering what she was doing to him. "You can't marry him!" Technically she was still his prisoner, so she has no right to get married. In fact he would have to arrest her.

"And why not," she asked.

"Well, it's because, you are under arrest for pirating," he said smugly taking a hold of her.

"James Norrington, you let go of me this instant," She demanded. "I'm a lady now I'll have you know."

"No, you're mine to keep," and he wasn't sure why he had said that. Of course she wasn't his to keep; she was in fact no one's property. James just couldn't let her go, this maybe the last he sees of her before she runs off with another man. Just the thought of her with someone else beside him made James a little nauseous.

"What am I to you James," she asked struggling in his arms. "People are starting to stare, let go of me."

"I don't care, let them think whatever they want," he expressed. "Maybe your soon to be merchant husband will get wind of it and refused to married you."

She remain still in his arms, cocked her head to the side, "Are you in love with me James Norrington?" James loosens his hold on her. Never once did he ever associate this woman with love, it never occurs to him. Sure he may be slightly obsessed with her, but in love? "Well, are you? If not then surely you wouldn't object to me getting married. He might just make an honest woman of me."

He wasn't sure what to tell her.

James didn't even realize she was walking away from him. "Well, are you coming?" So maybe he was, slightly in love with her but he be damn to let another man steal what was rightfully his, which was why he ran after her like a love sick puppy that had just been kicked.

And so he met the man, and James was never really good at lying especially to himself. How was he to compete with such man like this man? "Nice to meet you Captain Smith," he forced himself to said. The man was dashing by most woman standard and that irritated him.

"My pleasure Commodore," the young man smiled brightly at James. "I hope you don't mind my humble home, I am not one for the latest trend of our time."

The man was far too modest; his home was anything but humble. If the situation had presented itself differently, James might have considered this man a friend, but as for now he was competition. James Norrington most definitely does not back out from a fight. Well…almost never. If it comes down to it, James was more than willing to get down in dirty, but he doubt that this Captain Smith was going to go for it. He was too much of a gentleman, not saying that James wasn't but she corrupted him. She's a witch. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be stuck here proclaiming to himself that the man who sat across from him was his enemy.

She came in to the room, tea in hand ready to serve her guest like any respectable wife ought to do. The man got up to help her and all James could do was sit there raging in silence. It should be him who is helping her; she should be by his side not this man. James had always wanted a wife, one to greet the guest, respectable, loving, and everything that she seemed to embody at this very moment. The irony was he didn't want this version of her. He wanted the woman in man clothes, the woman with the fowl mouth, the woman who stood her ground against any man that dare defied her, and he wanted the woman that he was absolutely positive would shame him from British upper society. But he was fine with that as long as she was with him instead of this other man.

By god, James Norrington was going to fight for what was rightfully his, not that she was ever his to begin with.

….

"I can promise you a ship too you know."

He couldn't let her go, not to another man. He just wish that he had realize this before, it was his heart that she stole and one could not possibly live without ones heart. She was the only reason why he was still breathing, living. After Elizabeth outright rejection of his affection James was nothing more than a shell of himself.

"What makes you think I want your ship?" She asked nonchalant, "I am perfectly content with the ship Henry promised me with."

Why was it that she always has to be so damn difficult? Here he was pouring out his heart to her, and she couldn't even muster up any emotions to his pathetic plea for love. This woman was going to be the death of him.

"I'll provide you with your own crew, so how about it. If you leave this god forsaken place and come with me."

"Tempting, but no," she shrugged at his offer.

"No, what do you mean no?" James closed the distance between them. He wanted to grab her, shook some sense into her. "I assure you, you have the upper hand in this deal than you would with Captain Smith. You'll be free you know?"

"That's just it," she lost him. "I don't want to be free forever. It gets lonely sometime out at sea. Haven't you ever wondered how Jack managed to steal my boat?"

James pulled her towards him, his arm wrap around her waist and he was surprise she didn't fight back. "Then I'll keep you company."

She laughed at the suggestion, shoving James off of her. "You keep me company, do you honestly think that I would believe you'll reduced yourself to a pirate companion. You're more likely to haul me off to my hanging than keep me company."

The woman was infuriating. At time he wonder why he was so attached to her, "Maybe? But where would the fun be if no one chasing."

"You are serious about this?" She burst out laughing, "What has the world come to. James Norrington, Commodore of the British navy has just submitted himself to me, a mere pirate."

That didn't make him feel any better than before. "You're twisting my words. When have I ever…"

She cut him off, "Okay."

"What?"

"I said okay, are you deaf or just daft? I swear I question you sometime."

…

Author's Note: The shame, the shame of an out of character James…I am sorry…but hey you guys read and that's all that matter, right? Right? Hopefully you guys figure out the female companion to James Norrington. Anyway…it's none other than our dear and lovely Anamaria, the only girl pirate really in POTC I, sadly she never made another appearance. I know she doesn't talk like that, but it is way too hard how to write down how she actually talk like. Anyway, I do hope you enjoy this little fic of mine. R&R my friend.


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